Wheel assembly



Jan. I3, 1931. B DARROW l 1,788,862

WHEEL ASSEMBLY Filed Feb. 2, 1928 matic tires to be replaced by reason of the p mum. It is also desirable at times to sub-V Patented Jan'. li3,

PATENT o1-FICE f 'i 'EURGEssDAEEow oEAirEoiir,V oHIo, ,Assreruoa 'ro THEGOODYEAE TIEE a EUBBEE v COMPANY, or AxEoNpoHrogA CORPORATION 0E omo i Y WHEEL ASSEMBLY Application mea rtruary 2, 192s. serial No. 251,868.

Thisinve'ntion relates to-wheel assemblies and itV has particular relation to wheelas# semblies thatfacilitates thesubstitutiony of acushion tirerfor a `pneumatic tire and rim,

,l without alteration of the diameter of the assembly. Y

Since the advent of balloon tires, smaller wheels are necessarily employed on all standard makes of automobiles.

cushion tires of the same size as the pneularge` amount of rubber requiredvto produce such tires. It is desirable to utilize cushion tires of standard'sizes to replace the pneumatic tires and their carrying rims in order that the number'of sizesof tiresl'which a dealer must carry be maintained at a *ministitute alarger standard tire for .atirein use Without changing the wheel upon which it is mounted. Y 'f The primary object of this invention to providean adapter which-may lbe demountably secured vuponstandard ywheels of various forms Vand is' capable of demounta-bly supporting either standard cushion tires or standard rims carryingzpneumatic tires.

A further object of' the invention is toV provide an adapter formed with a plurality of seating surfaces,whereby it Vmaybe'del mountably secured, selectively, uponv different typesof standard felloes. -V i' A still further object of the invention is the provision of a wheel assembly including a felloe normally adapted to support demountably a cushion tire or a tire carrying rim of a specified internalfdiameter, having" au', a cushion tire or a tire carrying rim of greater internal diameter vdemountably se cured thereon;

For a better .understanding ofv the invent-V t, bodying'the features of the invention;

:M50 Figure 2 is` a ltransverse sectional viewl (not`sliowri)fosupportinga piieumatictireila It' is no longer practicable, therefore, to substitute solidor shown) ,1 which 'are forced into engagement with the rim .bymea-ns off-nuts 14 uthreaded taken substantially along line `Hin-Il: A

ofFigure l; and", i y Figure 3 is` a similar view illustrating the invention -as applied toa different form of Wheel: .Y Y, Y y, The wheel assembly-constituting the sub'- jectv matter of this application was devised primarily to provide meansfwhereby a single standardsize of cushiontiremight be ap'- vplied lselectivelyto lvarious standard felloes .s60

commonly employed in automobiles; for eX- ample; ofthelordor of' the Chevrolet type, to, i replacel the pneumatic tires commonly used thereon,"without alteringthe exterior diameter of the lwheel assembly. Y

Figures l and 2 of the drawing illustrate the -inventionas applied y toi a standard Q Chevrolet. wheel.v This type Vof wheel comprises achannellshaped felloe 10 connected Y to a hubv (not shown) by meansof spokes l1.

@nejsideof the'felloe is laterally; flared, as indicatedat l2, to provide a rim seating surface and the other side 13 isadaptedrto be engagedfbyv conventional clamping lugs (not on bolts 15 traversing* the felloe Iat` spaced points. y

Y* An adapter"l6, including an annularfcen-` tral portion or ring 17, an 'integraleaperturedrl i annular iangeflS extending'radially inwardlyfrom thecentral-portion17and an annular lange :19 which extends Vradiralgly- :out-

wardly romthe portion 17, ismounted upon thegfelloe. 'lhecentralm` portion 17` of the Yadaqiter is;` provided with annularlylextending ridges 20 and recesses 'to strengthen it andV also to provide a taperedfseatingsurface 2,2for engagement with the flare'dportion olf theV fellore.` ,l y 'fe bo ts l5 Ywhichp 1.0 through Y apertures 231m the'lflange 18, 'serveftd support one side of the adapter 'and lthe jnuts [14 "threaded on the' bolts i[serve :to l retainl the seating surface 2 2 in contact with; vthe flared'portion ofthe `itelloe. lThe outer ,portion of theiiange-IQ is flaredtoprovidel ariannularseat'il 241 for` 'engagementl'withV a Y Vband `i of a -cushiontire l26 or 4with a-l riin Y A ring 27 formed with substantially oppositely extending flanges 28 and 29 for engagement respectively with the portion 17 and with the band 25, demountably secures the tire carrying band 25 in operative position upon the Wheel and is itself maintained in position by bolts 31 and nuts 32 threaded thereon.

Figure 3 of the drawings illustrates a cushion tire 26 demountably positioned upon a standard Ford Wheel by means of the same form of adapter 16. This embodiment of the invention differs from that just described only `with regard to the engagement of the element 17 with the flared portion 12 of the felloe 10. It will be' observed that, due to the difference in the construction of the felloe itself, a. supporting surface 34C instead ofthe supporting surface 22 of the element`17 engages the flared portion 12 of the Wheel.

ne or more conventional driving lugs 35 are, of course, provided upon the band 25 and engage Within slots 36 provided therefor in the adapter 16 to prevent relative circumferential movement of the band and adapter.

From the foregoing description itis apparent thatthe adapter 16 facilitates the substitution of a. comparatively large tire fora smaller one upon the same Wheel. For example, a standard cushion tire or rim designed to seat upon va twenty-three inch Wheel maybe secured demountably upon a twenty-one inch Wheel byA means of this adapter. The Aexterior diameter of the resulting assembly will bev substantially the same as the external diameter ofthe twentyone inch Wheel having a standard balloon tire mounted thereon.

It is to be understood that the expression tire-carrying band as employed4 herein delines either a rimfor carrying a pneumatic tire or a band upon which a solid or cushion tread is mounted. Y

Although I have illustrated only tWo forms which the invention may assumeV and have described in detail only preferred applications thereof, it Will be'apparent to those skilled in the art that it is not so limited, but lthat various minor modifications may be made therein Without departing from the lspirit of the invention or from the scope of the appended claims.

' Vhat I claim is: y

1. An adapter comprising a ring formed with means for seating it upon different standard forms of felloes, a ange extending radiallyinvvardlyfrom the ring for engagement by securing means carried byv such felloes, to secure the ring demountably thereon, a flange extending radially outwardly. from the ring and formed with a'ared seatingsurface, a clamping ring seated upon the ringL and formed with a seating surface, and means for eoaction with the rings to secure a tire carlthe ring and formed with an outer seating surface, bolts traversing the rings, and nuts on the bolts for demountably securing a tire and upon said seating surfaces.

n Witness whereof, l have hereunto signed my name.`

Signed at Akron, in the county of Summit and State of Ohio, U. S. A., this 1st day of February, 1928.

BURGESS DARROV. 

